THE KEY MAN: C Jonas Valanciunas.
He's just 20 and he'll certainly have his ups and downs as a rookie adjusting to the NBA game, but Toronto needs its young center to get his feet wet in a hurry. His skills are substantial, though, and when he does figure things out, Toronto will be a much different team. His presence should end the Andrea Bargnani can play some center discussion once and for all, allowing Bargnani to play the four, his more natural position. Valanciunas is going to be a good one.
THE SKINNY: The Raptors stopped hemorrhaging points with first-year Coach Dwane Casey putting in his defensive structure, and that should continue with more weapons at his disposal next season. Toronto didn't get native son Steve Nash, but wound up a lot deeper and younger than it would have been had Nash taken its three-year, $36 million offer. Lowry and Lucas will combine for a little more than half of what Nash would have made alone. Signing Fields was part of the lure to get Nash (the offer sheet gummed up a potential Knicks sign-and-trade opportunity), but Toronto has him now and will need to figure out how he, DeMar DeRozan and Ross, the University of Washington rookie, can divvy up all of those minutes at shooting guard. Someone will move over to the three. But someone could also be potentially packaged along with incumbent point guard Jose Calderon, who will be dealt.

I don't really understand how Aldridge complied this list. For example, putting Houston in the top 10? Even though they are entering a rebuilding stage?

Well he is not calling Houston a top 10 team, he is saying Houston was one of the top 10 winners in the offseason this year. That is what he is grading, offseason moves only.

Houston added Lin & Asik. Two impressive FA. They might have overpaid on Asik but still two good young pieces to build around. They also were able to have 3 first round draft picks in a deep class. Terrence Jones, Jeremy Lamb, and Royce White were all impressive in their summer league action. That is 5 young talented pieces Houston added during the offseason. Some solid pieces to at least build around and Aldridge is impressed by that.

Well he is not calling Houston a top 10 team, he is saying Houston was one of the top 10 winners in the offseason this year. That is what he is grading, offseason moves only.

Houston added Lin & Asik. Two impressive FA. They might have overpaid on Asik but still two good young pieces to build around. They also were able to have 3 first round draft picks in a deep class. Terrence Jones, Jeremy Lamb, and Royce White were all impressive in their summer league action. That is 5 young talented pieces Houston added during the offseason. Some solid pieces to at least build around and Aldridge is impressed by that.

I don't find either to be all that impressive. I like Asik but he's not great or anything and Lin imo is overrated. Both were overpayed.

The list is absolutely awful, which is odd because Aldridge is one of the more knowledgeable reporters involved with the league.

Usually a great offseason would mean that the team would improve a lot next year(or maintain their play if they're one of the upper echelon teams). So how the hell is Philadelphia second when the chances of them improving their record are very very slim, and their additions werent great vs what they lost? And Houston who compiled a bunch of young players to get a bigtime player, and has so far failed in their plan?

Then you got teams like the Warriors who were in the bottom 15 who improved greatly in upgrading their roster, as well as Minnesota who also greatly upgraded their roster in getting AK, Roy, Shved in the positions they were weakest in, and Stiemsma who can actually give you production every game replacing Darko who provided something 20 of the games.

Aldridge then says later in the article:

Quote:

But these rankings assess whether a team is better or worse than it was when the offseason began

So I guess he really beleives Philadelphia will be a top 5 East team this year with the additions of Dorrell Wright, Kwame Brown and Nick Young? And rookies who likely wont play since they've got too many rotation players at 3/4 already?

And Houston will be a for sure West playoff team in comparison from this year which team is more balanced and better talent wise who would have made the playoffs if Lowry didnt have his infection?

Aldridge must have been smoking something before writing this article. The Lakers should be #1 or 2 in getting Nash, Jamison, and re-signing Hill and only losing Sessions. Adding one of the best PGs in the NBA and not having to give up anything alone should be a top 3 offseason, but getting some rookies and mid level talent like Philly did was so much better. Terrible.

And on the topic of the Raptors, I think we should be in the top 15 as well, but it's hard to say the additions this offseason alone will vault us in to the playoffs isnt the full truth, as internal growth(Derozan, Bargnani) and last seasons draft pick(Valanciunius) will have a lot to do with our success next year.

The list is absolutely awful, which is odd because Aldridge is one of the more knowledgeable reporters involved with the league.

Usually a great offseason would mean that the team would improve a lot next year(or maintain their play if they're one of the upper echelon teams). So how the hell is Philadelphia second when the chances of them improving their record are very very slim, and their additions werent great vs what they lost? And Houston who compiled a bunch of young players to get a bigtime player, and has so far failed in their plan?

Then you got teams like the Warriors who were in the bottom 15 who improved greatly in upgrading their roster, as well as Minnesota who also greatly upgraded their roster in getting AK, Roy, Shved in the positions they were weakest in, and Stiemsma who can actually give you production every game replacing Darko who provided something 20 of the games.

Aldridge then says later in the article:

So I guess he really beleives Philadelphia will be a top 5 East team this year with the additions of Dorrell Wright, Kwame Brown and Nick Young? And rookies who likely wont play since they've got too many rotation players at 3/4 already?

And Houston will be a for sure West playoff team in comparison from this year which team is more balanced and better talent wise who would have made the playoffs if Lowry didnt have his infection?

Aldridge must have been smoking something before writing this article. The Lakers should be #1 or 2 in getting Nash, Jamison, and re-signing Hill and only losing Sessions. Adding one of the best PGs in the NBA and not having to give up anything alone should be a top 3 offseason, but getting some rookies and mid level talent like Philly did was so much better. Terrible.

And on the topic of the Raptors, I think we should be in the top 15 as well, but it's hard to say the additions this offseason alone will vault us in to the playoffs isnt the full truth, as internal growth(Derozan, Bargnani) and last seasons draft pick(Valanciunius) will have a lot to do with our success next year.

The list is absolutely awful, which is odd because Aldridge is one of the more knowledgeable reporters involved with the league.

Usually a great offseason would mean that the team would improve a lot next year(or maintain their play if they're one of the upper echelon teams). So how the hell is Philadelphia second when the chances of them improving their record are very very slim, and their additions werent great vs what they lost? And Houston who compiled a bunch of young players to get a bigtime player, and has so far failed in their plan?

Then you got teams like the Warriors who were in the bottom 15 who improved greatly in upgrading their roster, as well as Minnesota who also greatly upgraded their roster in getting AK, Roy, Shved in the positions they were weakest in, and Stiemsma who can actually give you production every game replacing Darko who provided something 20 of the games.

Aldridge then says later in the article:

So I guess he really beleives Philadelphia will be a top 5 East team this year with the additions of Dorrell Wright, Kwame Brown and Nick Young? And rookies who likely wont play since they've got too many rotation players at 3/4 already?

And Houston will be a for sure West playoff team in comparison from this year which team is more balanced and better talent wise who would have made the playoffs if Lowry didnt have his infection?

Aldridge must have been smoking something before writing this article. The Lakers should be #1 or 2 in getting Nash, Jamison, and re-signing Hill and only losing Sessions. Adding one of the best PGs in the NBA and not having to give up anything alone should be a top 3 offseason, but getting some rookies and mid level talent like Philly did was so much better. Terrible.

And on the topic of the Raptors, I think we should be in the top 15 as well, but it's hard to say the additions this offseason alone will vault us in to the playoffs isnt the full truth, as internal growth(Derozan, Bargnani) and last seasons draft pick(Valanciunius) will have a lot to do with our success next year.

summer articles, little thought put into them, probably written at the beach between rounds of cocktails ...